


World Enough and Time

by wakeuptothemoon



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes & Sam Wilson Friendship, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Everybody Lives, F/M, First Dates, Humor, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Post-Canon Fix-It, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:08:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28557384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wakeuptothemoon/pseuds/wakeuptothemoon
Summary: Steve gets the chance he never thought he would.
Relationships: Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sophitia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sophitia/gifts).



> A gift fic for the 2020 Oklahoma is Sherlocked Secret Santa Exchange!
> 
> Takashi is a real (and now closed) restaurant.
> 
> The title comes from this poem "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44688/to-his-coy-mistress

Steve lands heavily on the pad after all the time (or time for him) putting the Infinity Stones back in place. His shield is a whole and heavy weight in one hand, wrapped as it is in a bag, the case he’d taken with the stones a lighter one in the other.

Bucky is the first person he sees, and his face is nearly unreadable—they’d discussed Steve’s original plans for hours in the days before the mission. He was the only person who knew Steve’s plans, but he didn’t know that Steve, upon seeing Peggy at her home, had felt like he would ruin it all for her. He’d left her alone.

He steps off of the platform with a hop. “Well,” he says, “I’ll have to tell Strange that his predecessor says hello. She makes excellent tea.”

Sam, Bucky, and Bruce just look at him.

Steve takes the shield out of its bag and extends it to Sam, whose eyes widen. “Steve, come on,” he says.

“No, it’s yours,” Steve tells him. “I’d planned to do this whether I dillydallied back in time or not. You’ll do great.”

Sam carefully takes the shield, overwhelmed. “Looks good on you,” Steve says.

Bucky shakes his head. “I should have known you’d show back up in your prime. You don’t even have any stubble. Now you’re shoving your responsibilities off on Sam.”

Steve shrugs. “You’re just jealous you won’t be able to take up painting or something.”

Bucky laughs. “Maybe I’ll get a cat.”

Bruce is taking the machinery apart, and Steve catches T’Challa coming toward them, followed by—

Steve stops mid-step.

“Bucky,” he says, his voice low. “Bucky, is that Tony?”

“What?” Bucky asks, looking at Steve. “Did you forget about him while you were gone?”

“No, I—” Steve can’t move. Tony is there. His— _oh god_ —his arm has been replaced with a bright red arm, like he and one of his suits became one. But he’s standing there, smiling. He has bags under his eyes, and there’s a white streak in his hair that wasn’t there before.

“But he.” Steve just stops. He thinks about the time travel, about the different timelines that Bruce had described. _What if there’s one where we all came out okay? Is that where I ended back up?_

“Look, Steve, I’m not missing the party that T’Challa’s putting on for us. He said he wouldn’t start it until you were there!” Sam has stowed the shield back in its pack and won’t let go of it, even though he looks like he wants to cross his arms.

“No, no, I just—” Steve makes the decision that he will not lose this opportunity, and he lets his confusion go. “I just wanted to compliment him on his new arm. Not that it’s as cool as Bucky’s, of course.”

Bucky and Sam both roll their eyes.

They get close enough to hear Tony laugh, and Steve has to swallow hard against a sudden lump in his throat. He turns that emotional energy into a hug, Tony pats him on the back with the new arm as they all walk together to the transport. The party will be at Stark Tower.

____________________________________________________________

By the time they get to Stark Tower, Steve has his bearings back. Everything about the battle with Thanos and its aftermath was the same, other than Carol joining Tony in using the Gauntlet, saving Tony’s life but not his arm. Her strength has been enough to keep the stones from killing him.

Steve and Bucky’s rooms are next to each other at the Tower, and he considers confiding in his friend that he thinks he ended up in the wrong universe. Much like with Peggy, however, he thinks better of interfering. Steve is not a religious man, but this feels too close to a blessing to make additional waves. He takes a long, hot shower and a nap and asks Friday for a meal instead. He spends the next day eating and sleeping, with Bucky and Sam checking in on him periodically. Steve is not usually one for rest—he barely needs it—but the time putting the stones back was almost a week for him, and he’d barely slept or ate during the mission.

The party gets started late the next evening, but it is a more casual affair than Steve expects—everyone is wearing jeans, even T’Challa (although Steve suspects that they are lined somehow with Vibranium). Tony is making full use of his new arm to shake cocktails as fast as super-humanly possible. Sam is educating Thor about how not to “double dip” after doing a Seinfeld reference that Thor didn’t understand.

There are many cheers, and little magic lights supplied by Wong and Strange bob around the large room.

It’s beautiful.

“Oh, Steve,” T’Challa says. “Fury and I had a talk, and we have an additional surprise for you.”

“Me?” Steve has spotted Natasha and Clint on a couch and done a triple-take, barely hearing him. “What?”

“Just come with me.” T’Challa leads him away from the festive room and through several hallways.

Fury meets them at the door to a room Steve’s not familiar with. “Your majesty,” Fury says. “Cap.”

Steve gives them both a wary look. “What’s behind door number 3?”

T’Challa just smiles. “Open it and see.”

Steve turns the handle. The door swings open on silent hinges, and sitting on a couch in the small conference room is Peggy Carter, looking like she’s stepped out of a historical photograph.

“Peggy?”

She stands and looks at Steve. “You’re late.”


	2. Chapter 2

The serum really didn’t do much to increase brain processing speeds.

“Peggy?” Steve says again, sure that she sees question marks floating around his head. _First Tony, then Nat, and now this?_ “How did you--?”

Fury interrupts. “SHIELD had an accident, years ago—I think after you visited the base—where our great agent here was not only dosed with some the serum you got, but she also ended up in cold storage at the bottom of some base we also forgot. When the base was being used by… some other agents, we found her and the records about the accident. I recruited T’Challa and Shuri to safely awaken her. We hoped that you’d return in one piece so you could see her again.”

“I did.” Steve can’t stop looking at her. “I made it back.” He steps forward and takes her narrow shoulders in his hands. “Are you--?”  
  
She smiles, blinding. “I am fine and no, no super strength for me. I am told that I won’t be aging quickly, though. Which, lucky for you, gives us plenty of time to make up for the dance that you owe me.”

Steve has the sudden realization that he needs to sit down, and does.

T’Challa laughs and motions for Fury to leave. “We have party guests,” he says, shooing him out.

The door clicks shut.  
  
“Friday,” Steve says.  
  
“Yes, Captain?”

“Could you lock that door and alert me if anyone is coming down the hall?”  
  
“Of course, Captain.”

Peggy sits down next to Steve. True to character, she asks, “What now, Steve?”

“I think we should go on a date-- a real date-- and have that dance. We can see where that goes,” he answers her, in a rush. His chest hurts to see her blush.

“I hear that your friend Sam has been giving you lessons on the twenty-first century. I could use a few of those, I think. Anthony has given me a room here and all the resources I could imagine. Friday has been very helpful,” she adds, casting her gaze at the ceiling.

“Thank you, Agent Carter.”   
  
“Who have you met so far?” Steve asks.

“Oh, Fury, T’Challa, his lovely sister, and Anthony. I have been a bit.. sequestered here for the past few days. It took some time for me to fully wake up after being frozen for all that time. I suspect you had a similar reaction?”  
  
“I did.” Steve considers. “Would you like to come down to the party? Bucky is there—” Steve says it without thinking.

“He—he what? How could he have--”

Steve takes her hand in his. “I’m sorry, he’s been back for a while for me. You remember what happened to him, right?” At Peggy’s nod, Steve continues. “He did fall off of the train, but he didn’t die right away—and Hydra found him, and took him. Again.”

Peggy put her free hand over her mouth, her other tightening around Steve’s. “What did they do to him?”

“Years of torture and brainwashing,” Steve says with a shudder. “Years of it. He became the Winter Soldier, their top assassin. Hydra sent him after me, and that’s how I learned he was still alive. He didn’t remember… anything. And it took a lot of work to get him to remember, and then he was still vulnerable to their brainwashing triggers. But Shuri and T’Challa were able to fully remove those from him and give him his life back. I’m so glad that he’s whole.”

Peggy nods. “They are miracle workers. And I know Hydra brainwashing techniques are extremely difficult to overcome. I must see him—let’s go right now. And I can meet your other friends.” She stands, and Steve follows, reluctantly releasing her hand.  
  
“I’m glad I don’t have to introduce you to Tony. Was that awkward, given that you knew Howard so well?”

“Not at all, thankfully. He seemed to know a lot more about me than a stranger should. I can only assume Howard told him a few things and that he did some research.”

“Tony does love research.” Steve opens the door for her. “Let’s get you to the party, Ms. Carter.”

“Peggy, please,” she says, smiling. Her black dress makes a susurrus as they walk out the door and back down to the party.

The mood hasn’t changed, but there is a hush as Steve and Peggy walk into the room arm in arm. Someone cheers (Steve thinks it’s Sam) and there’s scattered applause and a tinkling of glasses. Peggy tips her head up to accept the praise, and Steve directs them to Bucky, who is speaking to Wanda in the corner and hasn’t seen them.

“Buck,” Steve says. Bucky turns, his braided hair swinging, and sees Peggy.

“Peggy!” Bucky lifts her into a huge hug, his metal arm around her waist and the other at the back of her head, almost as if he’s afraid to drop her, spinning them around. He sets her down, and Peggy touches his cheek.

  
“Sergeant Barnes, you are a sight for sore eyes,” she says. Steve thinks he may be smiling so much his entire face will fall off.

Steve feels a tap on his shoulder, and behind him is a very cowed-looking Peter Parker. “Captain Rogers, is that… is that Margaret Carter? From SHIELD?”

“Yeah, Peter,” Steve says, one eye on Bucky and Peggy speaking animatedly about how she ended up at the party. “It’s her.”

“Can I… can I meet her? I’ve done research about her for school!”

Steve reminds himself how young Peter really is, and thanks whatever deity may have put him in this timeline that the kid hasn’t had to deal with losing Tony. “Of course! Let me interrupt these two—”

Peggy is so gracious, accepting Peter’s very enthusiastic handshake and smiling as he describes some of her own accomplishments. In the bobbing magic lights she glows, and the lights reflect rainbows on the silk of her black dress. Steve can hardly breathe.

Another tap. “So, Steve,” Bucky says, “where are you going dancing?”

Nat is suddenly beside Bucky. “Yeah, you need to make sure you take her somewhere nice.”

Steve has to take a minute to answer—Natasha is exactly the same as she was when he last saw her, and she’s smiling. “I don’t know, I was going to ask Tony for some recommendations. Pepper knows good places too.”

“Good,” Nat says. Peggy has extricated herself from Peter and come back to Steve, her warm hand on his shoulder. She takes Natasha in. “Hmm,” she says, “I’ve met someone from your area before. Ballet?”

Natasha’s surprise, only briefly evident in her eyes, turns to immediate respect. Not that Peggy would be unknown to her, but Peggy knowing about her training is new. “Unfortunately, yes, ballet.”  
  
“She was very capable,” Peggy says. “I’m glad you were there for Steve, since I couldn’t be.”

Steve fetches them all champagne flutes to cheer one another as the party winds down. Steve can’t really believe that he’s here with everyone he loves and that he’ll have the time to spend with them all.

Strange and Wong dim the little bobbing lights, and Tony and Pepper leave the room to their guests to check on their daughter. Peggy hides a yawn, and Steve extends an arm to escort her back to her room.

They walk slowly, the fading chatter of the party behind them. Steve isn’t sad that he can’t get drunk tonight—he wants every minute embedded in his memory forever.

They reach Peggy’s door. “So, tomorrow evening then?” she asks.

“Yes,” Steve says immediately. “I’ll pick you up at 7.”

“I can’t wait, Steve.” She touches his cheek with a slender hand. “I can’t wait.”

The door closes behind her with a click. Steve floats back to his own room until he hits the floor under the weight of a sudden realization: _I’ve never taken anyone on a date!_


	3. Chapter 3

Steve does sleep, but it’s fitful, and he dreams a few times of stepping on Peggy’s toes and spilling wine. He gets up and finds Bucky and Sam in the communal floor kitchen, where Bucky is putting his metal arm to use making and flipping perfectly round pancakes, holding a cast iron skillet with ease.

Sam is already eating a stack and waves from his barstool at the kitchen island. “There he is!” Sam says around his bite. “How was lasssssst night, Cap?”

Steve isn’t sure he could blush any harder. “Gentlemen don’t kiss and tell.”

Bucky flips another pancake and uses his real arm to push a plate toward Steve. “Maple syrup is in the bowl of hot water,” he says with a gesture towards it.

“Sam,” Steve says earnestly, sitting down next to his friend. “I need help. I promised Peggy we’d go out on a real date tonight, and I haven’t dated anyone before. Never had the time or opportunity.”

Sam manages not to choke on his pancakes while Bucky grins ferally. “You and Sharon didn’t---?”

“No, of course not. Like we had time to actually date---” _and honestly, it’s a little weird to think about since she’s Peggy’s niece_ , Steve doesn’t add.

“Christ, Rogers,” Bucky says, finishing up cooking the rest of the pancakes and dividing them onto several plates. “Sam will have to help you. Hydra didn’t have me do much wooing. On top of that, I’ve spent most of the last few months with goats.”

Steve almost spits out his coffee. Sam just nods sagely. “Tony would know a good restaurant, but _I_ know the best places to go dancing.”

“It can’t be anything… vulgar,” Steve says. “I remember the jazz clubs Bucky used to go to before the war!”

Sam puts a mocking hand over his heart. “Steve, how dare you think I would not consider your lady’s delicate sensibilities!?”

Bucky laughs from where he is carefully buttering his stack. “Peggy is not delicate!”

“But she does deserve romance,” Steve says, heartily, taking a big bite of pancakes.

“As do all women,” Sam agrees. “Look, I’d ask Tony for the right restaurant, and then I’ll find the right dance spot.”  
  
“And text Peggy and tell her you’re taking the motorcycle,” adds Bucky, pouring more of the hot maple syrup on his plate.

“The what?”  
  
“The motorcycle. Tony’s got a restored and absolutely gorgeous one in the garage in the basement. It’ll be like old times.”

Steve finishes his stack of pancakes. “What should I wear?”

“Ask Tony,” Sam says. “He’ll have some perfect thing that’s tailored to you. You know he spent a lot of time making this tower for us all.”

Steve looks to Bucky, who looks deeply amused and whose hair is trying to escape its braid. “Should I shave?” He asks.

“I would,” Bucky says, “but I think after this, ask her if she’d like to see you with a beard. It’s fetching.” He winks.

Steve rolls his eyes heavenward. “What would I do without you two?”  
  
  
“Not retire,” Sam supplies.

“Die,” Bucky adds.

“Be maimed,” says Thor, who comes in in a green bathrobe with a cup of coffee in a mug that says “World’s Best King” on it. He takes the last short stack and sits at the other end of the island by Bucky.

“All true,” Steve says. “Do you need help with the dishes, Buck?”

“Nah, Friday has it,” Bucky answers.

“I do!” says the computer cheerily. “Enjoy your day, Captain Rogers.”  
  
“Friday, Steve is fine,” Steve says, waving as Sam, Bucky, and Thor buckle down to solve Steve’s dancing dilemma. Thor booms a few laughs as he walks away.

“Yes, sir, Steve,” she says.

Steve goes to see Tony after asking Friday his whereabouts. He’s in his study, a tenth floor room full of windows overlooking New York’s skyline. Two couches face each other in the quiet room, where a large desk takes up most of the corner. Steve can tell the wall opens on the other side.

“Ah, Steve,” Tony says, one eyebrow up. “I hear you need some romantic advice.”

“Dinner advice,” Steve corrects. “And possibly a suit that I can wear on a motorcycle and dancing.” Steve does his best not to stare. After spending days mourning his friend and thinking about him during his time back in time, it is both strange and invigorating to see him so vibrant, red arm flashing in the sun.

Tony’s phone beeps a few times in his pocket. “I think I know just the place, and I can make sure you two aren’t interrupted. You’re a celebrity, you know, especially around here.”  
  
Steve takes a seat on one of the long couches and extends one arm over the back. “As if you aren’t,” Steve teases. “You saved the world.”  
  
“ _We_ saved the world,” Tony corrects. He puts on a pair of glasses and taps the side. “Friday, would you see if you can get Saheem on the line, please?”

Steve waits while Friday connects Tony to the restaurant owner. He half listens as Tony describes what he needs and if they could keep things very private. He hears the door open, and Morgan comes in and plops on the couch with Steve. “Hi, Mr. Rogers,” she says.

“Hi, Morgan,” Steve says, shaking her extended hand. “Nice to see you.”  
  
“Yeah,” she says, looking at her father while he ends the phone call. “Daddy, can you come to breakfast?”

“Of course,” Tony says, scooping her up from the couch. “Friday, will you text Steve the location for Takashi and send him the menu?”  
  
“Yes, Mr. Stark.”

“Have you eaten?” Tony asks.

“Yes, Bucky made pancakes,” Steve answers, stopping for a moment to consider how weird it was to say such a thing.

“Well, I have a brunch date now, and you need to get cleaned up for your date,” Tony touches noses with Morgan, who giggles. “Check the closet in your room. There should be keys by your bed for the motorcycle.” Arms full, Tony taps Steve’s shin with his foot. “But come back here when you’re done, to the roof. I’ll make sure it’s worth your while. The clubs around here would mob you.”

Steve considers, following Tony out of the study. “Sounds good to me,” Steve says honestly. “I was worried Sam would send Peggy and I a bit.. off the beaten path. I didn’t go dancing much even before the serum!”  
  
“Next time,” Tony says with a wink. “I’ll see you tonight!”

“Thanks, Tony.” Steve touches his non-metal shoulder. “Thanks.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a playlist to go along with this chapter: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2YvnEvFk6iWFxPFpwx6SOp

Steve gets out of a shower and shaves carefully, putting on one of the many suits in his closet. It’s dark grey, with a cool blue shirt and ankle boots (he hesitates to think how much they must have cost, given how soft the brown leather is). The keys to the motorcycle downstairs jingle in his pocket. It’s 6:30 PM.

After a lot of texting, Sam and Bucky came around to Tony’s idea about the rooftop, although Bucky sent a bunch of angry face emojis about Steve shaving.

Steve knocks on Peggy’s door at 6:45 after pacing, fully dressed, and asking Friday to tell him the time every 5 minutes.

The door opens, and Peggy is resplendent in an emerald green dress with a boat neck and three-quarter sleeves. Her hair is down and pinned out of her face with something sparkling that matches her necklace and earrings. Steve tries very hard not to have his mouth drop open and just barely succeeds.  
  
“You look lovely,” he says instead, holding the door open as she steps out.

“You look very handsome.” She takes his arm, and they step on to the elevator to the ground floor.

“We’re taking the motorcycle,” Steve says.

Peggy just nods. “Pepper warned me. I hear the helmets are very forgiving.”

Steve chuckles. The motorcycle roars and then purrs, starting out so smoothly that Steve isn’t sure he got on the right vehicle—but Peggy’s arms wrap around him as they buzz through the evening city, past pedestrians and cars. She knows exactly when to lean to counterbalance him--it’s perfect. They’re as in sync as they were before.

They reach Takashi (after Friday has directed them to the right spot) and sit down next to one another at the tabletop grill.

There is a set menu with little things to grill and nibble—mostly with your hands or with chopsticks. Only a few other people are in the small restaurant, sipping sake and speaking quietly.

Steve orders some chilled sake for them, hearing Tony’s voice tell him to only get ones that are chilled or above $40 a bottle. “To reunions,” he says after the waiter pours the chilled liquor into their cups (and admonishes that they need to keep each other’s cups full).

Peggy raises her cup. “To reunions.” The little choko ting softly.

Peggy proves herself adept at grilling tableside. “Try this,” she says, deftly picking up a piece of seared wagu and holding it up for Steve to eat. He does and sighs with pleasure, making Peggy laugh. The warm lighting and the glow of the small grill illuminate her, and Steve finds himself staring, thinking how impossibly lucky he is.

They talk about old times, about their friends. Steve shares that Peter’s principal at school is Morita’s grandson, and Peggy confirms that they should meet him as soon as they can. She talks about her time with SHIELD and about Daniel Sousa and the others she had worked with. “I’m glad you had them to rely on. And Jarvis,” Steve says.

He could probably eat this place into bankruptcy, but he maintains decorum and eats what they’re given. He is careful not to drink too much—not because he could get drunk on sake but because he doesn’t want the owner to think he can’t drive under his own power.

“Can you still not get drunk?” Peggy asks after filling his cup. Steve takes the bottle from her to fill hers in turn.

“No—although Thor’s people make some sort of cordial that does the trick. The bigger question here is, can _you_ get drunk, Peggy?”

She dabs her mouth with her napkin. “Apparently, only a very little. I’ll have to try this cordial the next time Thor has some. He had breakfast with Pepper and I this morning and was quite jovial. I can see why you two get along.”

Their dessert course arrives with two small spoons.  
  
“Would you like to take a walk with me?” Steve asks as they finish up the sake. “Or shall we go straight to the dancing?”

“After all this time, I think straight to the dancing,” Peggy replies, folding her napkin.

Steve is reaching for his wallet when the waiter waves him off. “It’s taken care of, sir,” he says. “Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

Steve sighs, a smile on his face, and leaves a hundred dollar bill for the waiter.

Peggy and Steve speed back across New York to the Tower, where Friday lets them into the side entrance. Steve parks the motorcycle carefully but keeps the keys.

Taking Peggy’s hand, Steve leads her to a different elevator and asks Friday to take them to the roof. “The roof?” she asks. “I’d wondered why we came back here and didn’t stop somewhere in town.”  
  
“Next time,” Steve says, and he relishes that there will be many next times for them.

The Stark Tower roof has several protected nooks—usually for Tony’s various antennae. Friday had instructed Steve to follow the sound of music when they stop, and that’s just what he does.

He leads Peggy around the corner, where a violinist and cellist are playing in one of the protected nooks, which is strewn with rose petals and decorated with white Christmas lights and flowered garland.

Peggy gasps. “Oh, Steve. It’s beautiful.”

“And we won’t be mobbed for autographs,” Steve adds. “You’re famous, you know, Peggy.”

She scoffs at him and taps his chest. “You are famous, Steve. I am infamous.” He just laughs.

Tony appears seemingly from nowhere with an ice bucket, some very expensive-looking champagne, and two champagne flutes. “Enjoy, you have the place to yourselves,” he says, placing them on a little table near the players, and then disappears as quickly as he came.

Peggy is enchanted, and Steve isn’t sure how he’ll be able to repay Tony for this. He opens the champagne and pours for them both. After sipping, Steve puts his glass down on the table. He extends a hand. “Shall we?”

Peggy takes it, and they start to sway. The violinist and cellist are playing songs they both know, “I’ll Get a Kick Out of You” and “It’s Been A Long, Long Time,” all the notes fading into one another and buoyed by the breeze. The air smells of roses and Peggy’s perfume.

Steve hears her murmuring something. “What was that?” he asks.

“I was remembering a bit of poetry,” Peggy replies. “It’s Marvell, ‘To His Coy Mistress.’”

Steve nods, remembering. “Had we but world enough and time,” he recites, “This coyness, lady, were no crime. We would sit down, and think which way / To walk, and pass our long love’s day.”  
  
“Oh very good,” Peggy says. The music has changed, and Steve takes the moment to spin her away and back to him.

“And we do,” he adds.

“What?” she asks.

“We have world enough and time. Now.” They are close again, Peggy’s head on his shoulder, his hand in hers, and his arm around her waist. 

“We do,” she says. “And my willing soul certainly transpires to roll this sweetness up.”

Steve brings her hand to his waist and uses his free hand to tilt her face up toward him. Framed in starshine and moonlight, she smiles up at him.

Steve bends just a little and kisses her, thinking to be chaste. Peggy sighs into his kiss, shifts so she can put both arms around his neck, and Steve is overwhelmed as she deepens the kiss, still swaying in the soft music.

Steve can’t be sure how long they stay there—he isn’t sure when the musicians leave. But for him and for Peggy, they have the time they’ve always wanted, and nothing can take him away from this.


End file.
